Adjustable musical instrument stand

ABSTRACT

The invention is a musical instrument stand that can be vertically adjusted while the instrument remains on the stand. Ideally, the mechanism that alters the height of the instrument will be operable by foot, so that the operator will be able to adjust the stand while playing the instrument.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the art of stands for musical instruments,primarily keyboards and other horizontally situated instruments such askeyboards, and in the adjustability of such stands with the instrumentmounted thereon.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Musical instrument stands of various types are well known and widelyused. Typically such stands consist of multi-legged structures thatsupport either the instrument or an undercarriage. Some are composed ofa base and a single support that holds a frame on which the instrumentrests (a “pillar” configuration). Few of the stands are adjustable inheight.

One instance of such a stand is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,953.That patent describes an instrument stand having essentially two legs,each leg having an end for contact with the floor and an end forsupporting the instrument (an “X” configuration). The legs werepivotably joined at their middles, and the angle between them adjustedto adjust the height of the instrument. The adjustment was regulated bya locking gear mechanism having a plurality of working positions.

Another such instance of a stand is described in U.S. Pat. No.5,984,245. That patent teaches a similar “X” configuration instrumentstand having as its positioning device an assembly comprising a controlrod, a spring and two positioning discs. The assembly is manipulated byhandlebars on each leg, and the angle between the legs is adjustedaccordingly.

These designs and other that have been designed have failed to provide astand that may be adjusted with the instrument still mounted on thestand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention therefore has, as a primary object, the improvement ofmusical instrument stands in such a way that they can be adjusted whilethe instrument remains on the stand. This object is met by differentmechanisms appropriate to the type of stand employed. Ideally, each suchmechanism will be operable by foot, so that the operator will be able toadjust the stand while playing the instrument.

One example of such a mechanism that could be employed on a stand havingtwo legs in an “X” configuration would be a powered piston attached toeach of the two legs and adapted to draw the legs toward or away fromeach other. Another example of such a mechanism that could be employedon a stand having a single “pillar” configuration would be to have thepillar adjustable support a support frame, and have a winch or similardrive adjust the height of the frame. Such a construction makes itpossible to move the instrument from a first position, where, perhaps,the user is sitting at a keyboard, to a second position, where the useris standing at the keyboard, without having to remove the instrumentfrom the stand, and without having to stop playing the instrument.

The invention is described in the following with reference to embodimentexamples shown in the drawings.

Additional objects of the invention will be set forth in the descriptionthat follows, and will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponexamination of the following.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features advantages of the present invention will become moreclearly appreciated as a description of the invention is made withreference to the appended drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention in a “pillar”configuration.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the invention in a “pillar”configuration.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the invention in an “X”configuration.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the invention in an “X”configuration.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the invention in a “table”configuration.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the invention in a “table”configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described belowby making reference to the drawings.

The present invention was developed for use with keyboard instruments.The stand, as shown in FIGS. 1-6, may take one of several forms.

In the first example of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, the stand10 includes a base 12. The base 12 includes multiple legs splayedoutwardly from a central point. The legs may be adjustable for thepurposes of conforming to an uneven surface, or may be adjustable inlength to provide optimal stability. The stand 10 also comprises atleast one substantially vertical pillar 14 extending upwardly from thebase 12.

A keyboard support 16 is supported on the pillar 14. The keyboardsupport 16 comprises at least one substantially horizontal member onwhich a keyboard 100 may be mounted. Ideally, for stability purposes,the keyboard support 16 should have a single broad surface, as shown, orhave two or more horizontal members that are spaced widely enough toprevent movement of the keyboard when the keyboard is played.

The keyboard support 16 should not be affixed to the pillar 14, butshould be adjustably mounted on the pillar 14 so that it may movevertically along the length of the pillar 14. This may be achieved byproviding the keyboard support 16 with a collar 18 that fits around thepillar 14. To provide ease of movement, the collar 18 may incorporaterollers, ball bearings, low friction material lining, or other suchmaterials as are well known in the art. Alternatively, the keyboard maybe mounted to a collar 18 that fits within a chamber (not shown) in thepillar 14. Ideally, in this configuration, the collar 18 should have anexterior horizontal cross-sectional profile substantially equivalent tothe interior horizontal cross-sectional profile of the channel in thepillar 14. The instrument stand 10 should also have means for moving thekeyboard vertically along the pillar 14. This may be provided bymechanical, hydraulic, or other means. In the example shown, theinstrument stand includes an electric motor 20, a foot switch 22, and avertically disposed, externally threaded screw member 24. The screwmember 24 is adapted to fit into an internally threaded aperture 26 inthe collar 18. The vertically disposed screw member 24, which isessentially parallel to the pillar 14, is rotated by the electric motor20. Ideally, the foot switch 22 will include a control that activatesthe electric motor 20 and turns the screw member 24 selectively in aclockwise or counterclockwise direction. Rotation of the screw member 24will result in the raising or lowering of the keyboard without removingthe keyboard from the keyboard support 16.

Another mechanism that may be used would be a winch and pulley system(not shown). The pulley may be included at the top of the pillar 14 orat the top of the interior chamber of the pillar. The mechanism mayinclude a winch at the base of the stand 10 and a cable that extendseither through the chamber or along the pillar to the pulley anddownwardly to the collar 18. Activation of the winch would pull thecollar 18 upwardly and the raise the keyboard. Release of the winchwould allow the keyboard to be drawn downwardly by force of gravity.Alternatively, the cable may be attached to the collar 18 so that it mayexert force on the collar 18 selectively from the top and the bottom,and the winch arranged to move the cable in either of two directionssuch that activation of the winch results in the controlled adjustmentof the height of the keyboard without removing the keyboard from thekeyboard support 16. A further embodiment of this invention (not shown)would position the winch at the top of the pillar, and would workgenerally in the manner described.

In a second embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, theinstrument stand 10′ comprises two legs 30 pivotally joined at a centralpoint 32. Each leg 30 has a bottom end and a top end. The bottom end ofeach leg should have horizontally extending legs 34 that are adapted tohold the keyboard stand 10′ upright. The top end of the legs 30 shouldinclude means to support the keyboard. Although such means mayincorporate horizontally extending legs, ideally, the top ends of thelegs should engage a horizontal keyboard support 36. The horizontalkeyboard support 36 should be adjustably mounted on the top ends of thetwo legs 30. It should be mounted on the two legs such that the legs 30may move horizontally along the length of the keyboard support 36. Sucha configuration would allow for the raising and lowering of the standwhile maintaining the keyboard in a horizontal position. Furthermore, amechanism may be employed to maintain the keyboard in a central positionwith relation to the keyboard stand through the use of a twin rack andpinion mechanism (not shown), or other such mechanism well known in themechanical arts.

The invention further comprises means to adjust the angle between thetwo legs 30. This may be comprised of a mechanical or hydraulic actuatormounted on the legs between the pivotal center point and the upper orlower ends of the legs 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the means comprises ahydraulic piston 38 having a first end 40 mounted on the first leg and asecond end 42 mounted on the second leg. The hydraulic piston isattached to a hydraulic pump 44 that can alter the pressure within thehydraulic piston 38. The pump, ideally, is activated by a foot switch46. As shown in the drawings, by reducing the pressure in the piston 38,the angle between the legs 30 is reduced and the keyboard is raisedwithout removing the keyboard from the keyboard support 36.

A third embodiment of the invention comprises a traditional table-stylestand 10″. The stand 10″ includes at least two vertically disposed legs.The legs will be designed to provide stability to the stand, either bythe provision of numerous legs or by the provision of legs providing alarge enough base to lend stability to the stand 10″. In the embodimentshown, the stand incorporates two pedestal-type legs 50, each having abase 52 that extends outward horizontally from the plane defined by thetwo legs. Each leg comprises a base section 54 that is affixed to itsbase and an adjustable section 56 that is axially adjustably mounted onthe base section. The adjustable sections 56 are each affixed to akeyboard support 58 on which the keyboard 100 is mounted. The stand 10″includes a mechanism, such as those earlier described, to move theadjustable legs axially along the length of the base section, resultingin the raising or lowering of the keyboard. Ideally, the raising orlowering of the keyboard support 58 is effectuated by the activation, byfoot switch 59 or other control of a single mechanism, as exemplified bythe electric motor 60 that is shown in FIG. 5. Preferably, theadjustable sections of the legs are moved simultaneously by a doublerack and pinion mechanism 62 or a chain drive or similar device as arewell known in the art.

In the several embodiments of the invention described, the keyboard mayremain affixed to the instrument stand and the keyboard height adjusted.No removal of the keyboard is necessary to adjust the height. The designmay be changed so that the adjustable keyboard support may raise orlower more than one keyboard. The design may also be used in conjunctionwith a fixed keyboard support so that a selected number of keyboards maybe raised or lowered while at least one keyboard remains stationary.Similarly, more than one adjustable keyboard support may be mounted on astand.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to theexact construction that has been described above and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and that various modifications and changes can bemade without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. It is intendedthat the scope of the invention only be limited by the appended Claims.Thus it can be seen that all of the objects of the invention are met.

1. An adjustable musical instrument stand, comprising: a base member; at least one stand member connected to and extending substantially vertically from said base member, said at least one stand member having a length; an instrument support vertically adjustably mounted on said at least one stand member; means for moving said instrument support vertically along said length of said at least one stand member; whereby an instrument may be supported by said instrument support and may be adjusted to a desired height by adjustment of said instrument support without removing the instrument from the instrument support.
 2. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 1, whereby said means for moving said instrument support is electronic.
 3. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 1, whereby said means for moving said instrument support is hydraulic.
 4. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 2, whereby said means for moving said instrument support comprises a winch mounted on said adjustable music stand, a cable extending from said winch to said instrument support, said winch operative to take in said cable and thereby adjust the height of said instrument support.
 5. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 4, whereby said at least one stand member has a top end and said winch is mounted on said stand member proximal said top end.
 6. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 4, whereby said at least one stand member has a bottom end and a top end and said winch is mounted on said stand member proximal said bottom end, further comprising a pulley mounted proximal said top end and adapted to engage said cable.
 7. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 2, whereby said means for moving said instrument support comprises: a motor, a screw drive having a threaded screw extending parallel to said at least one stand member, said threaded screw being operatively attached to said motor, said instrument support being adapted to receive said threaded screw whereby activation of said motor cases the rotation of the threaded screw and adjusts the height of said instrument support.
 8. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 3 whereby said means for moving said instrument support comprises: a pump, a piston having first and second ends, said first end being attached to said instrument support and said second end being attached to said base member or said at least one stand member, said piston being in operative communication with said pump such that activation of said pump varies pressure within said piston and causes said piston to vary its length and adjusts the height of said instrument support.
 9. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 1, whereby said means for moving said instrument support comprises a control that may be manipulated by foot.
 10. An adjustable musical instrument stand comprising: first and second legs pivotally secured together and arranged to define an angle between said first and second legs, each leg having a top end and a bottom end each said top end being adapted to support a musical instrument support; each said bottom end adapted to support in a generally upright position the adjustable musical instrument stand and the musical instrument support; means for adjusting the angle between said first and second legs whereby an instrument may be supported on said musical instrument support and may be adjusted to a desired height by adjustment of said musical instrument support without removing the instrument from the adjustable musical instrument stand.
 11. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 10, whereby said means for adjusting the angle between said first and second legs is electronic.
 12. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 10, whereby said means for adjusting the angle between said first and second legs is hydraulic.
 13. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 11, whereby said first and second legs are pivotally secured together at a midpoint and said means for adjusting the angle between said first and second legs comprises: a motor mounted on said first leg between said midpoint and either of said top or bottom ends, a screw drive having a threaded screw, said threaded screw being operatively attached to said motor, a receiving bracket mounted on said second leg between said midpoint and either of said top or bottom ends, said receiving bracket being adapted to receive said threaded screw whereby activation of said motor cases the rotation of the threaded screw and adjusts the angle between said first and second legs and the height of said top ends of said first and second legs.
 14. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 12 whereby said first and second legs are pivotally secured together at a midpoint and whereby said means for adjusting the angle between said first and second legs comprises: a pump, a piston having first and second ends, said first end being attached to said first leg between said midpoint and either of said top or bottom ends, and said second end being attached to said second leg between said midpoint and either of said top or bottom ends, said piston being in operative communication with said pump such that activation of said pump varies pressure within said piston and causes said piston to vary its length and adjusts the angle between said first and second legs and the height of said top ends of said first and second legs.
 15. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 10, whereby said means for adjusting the angle between said first and second legs comprises a control that may be manipulated by foot.
 16. An adjustable musical instrument stand comprising: at least two legs, each leg having an adjustable height, a top end and a bottom end each said top end being adapted to support a musical instrument support, said instrument support being adapted to support a musical instrument; each said bottom end adapted to support in a generally upright position the adjustable musical instrument stand and the musical instrument support; means for adjusting the height of said at least two legs whereby an instrument may be supported by said instrument support and may be adjusted to a desired height without removing the instrument from the adjustable musical instrument stand.
 17. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 16, whereby said means for adjusting the height of said at least two legs moves said at least two legs simultaneously.
 18. The adjustable musical instrument stand of claim 16, whereby said means for adjusting the height of said at least two legs comprises a control that may be manipulated by foot.
 19. An adjustable musical instrument stand for supporting an instrument, comprising: a base member; at least one stand member connected to and extending at least generally vertically from the base member, the at least one stand member having a length; an instrument support vertically adjustably mounted on the at least one stand member for supporting the instrument; and an adjustment mechanism for moving the instrument support along the length of the at least one stand member; wherein the adjustment mechanism moves the instrument support along the length of the at least one stand member while the instrument is supported by the instrument support for allowing adjustment of the height of the instrument to a desired height without removal of the instrument from the instrument support.
 20. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 19, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a screw drive.
 21. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 20, wherein the screw drive comprises a screw member for engaging the instrument support and an electric motor for turning the screw member so that instrument support is moved along the screw member.
 22. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 19, wherein the adjustment mechanism is hydraulic.
 23. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 19, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a winch and a cable extending from the winch to the instrument support, the winch operative to take in and let out the cable for moving the instrument support along the length of the at least one stand member.
 24. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 23, wherein the at least one stand member has a top end, the winch being mounted to the stand member proximal the top end.
 25. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 23, wherein the at least one stand member has a bottom end and a top end, the winch being mounted to the stand member proximal the bottom end, and wherein the adjustment member further comprises a a pulley mounted to the stand member proximal the top end for engaging the cable.
 26. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 3 wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a pump, a piston having first and second ends, the first end being attached to the instrument support and the second end being attached to the base member or at least one of the stand member, the piston being in operative communication with the pump for varying the length of the piston for moving instrument support along the length of the at least one stand member.
 27. The adjustable musical instrument stand as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a controller for controlling movement of the instrument support by the adjustment mechanism, the controller being actuated by foot. 